The Central Government’s direction to withdraw the additional incentive bonus given by the Kerala government for the paddy procurement should be withdrawn immediately, said Left Democratic Front (LDF) Convener T.P. Ramakrishnan in a statement here on Saturday.
The Union Finance Expenditure Secretary has recently written to the State Chief Secretary demanding the discontinuation of the additional bonus given by the State for paddy. The Centre has taken the position that due to this additional bonus given by the States, wheat and rice are being stored in excess in the country, causing a liability for the public exchequer. The letter also stated that through the additional bonus, more grains are being cultivated, resulting in increase in production. This is an intervention to weaken the food self-sufficiency.
The State government is paying an additional ₹ 6.31 per kg for the procurement of paddy. The central share in the procurement is not being received on time, creating a crisis in the sector, Mr. Ramakrishnan said. It was against this backdrop that the Central government proposed to withdraw the additional production bonus given by the State government. The LDF convener has demanded a strong protest against this move and that the step, which endangers the country’s food security, be withdrawn immediately.
Published – February 07, 2026 06:52 pm IST
